Hillsboro recorder. (Hillsboro, N.C.) 1887-18??, 1887-08-18
Summer Soiling.

There are several ways of economizing
grass used as pasture or other pastrring
crops. The great waste of pasturing is
In the tramping of the stock and in the
ioullng by the excrement. This loss is a
very large item where land is high in
value and where it costs a large sum to
GET q well set pasture. In such cases
there is large economy in soiling. This
may be done not only by cutting the fod-
der and feeding it in stables and yards,
but also by lettering the cows, and with
sheep by providing light movable hur-
dies or fence panels, which may be set up
or taken down and removed with great
ease. The movable fences may be used
Tor conhning cows as well as for sheep.
There are several kinds of them in use.
The cattle of the islands of JERSEY and
Guernsey are all tethered, and it is to this
economical management that the small
farms Of those fertile islands are able to
support cow on less than an acre of
land. This method is also extensively
used In the western part of France, where
the farms are small and yet keep large
number of cattle. Small fields of COLA
(ayariety of rape) and of clover may be
seen there, with the COWS tethered In
ranks, each one having so many feet of
fodder to consume each day. The cows
are secured by strong leather neck straps,
having rings sewn in them, and a chain
or rope with a snaplock at one end and a
large ring at the other. The snaplock
Is fastened to the ring in the neck strap.
and the large ring is dropped over the
lettering stake. When feeding down
the grass on the lawn and under the fruit
trees In the orchard the writer has used a
light chain about twenty feet long, with
aswivel in II, and attached to a revolving
ring or clevis in the head of an iron
pin, which is driven into the ground.
lettering chains of the same kind have
been found very useful in feeding down
green clover in the fields, giving the cows
strip about six or eight feet wide, in
the shape of curve in front of them, for
their meal. There is some little difficulty
In placing the cows, and when ten or
twenty are kept it is better to have NOV
able hurdles Tor enclosing them and pro-
fectlng the crop. But where a single
COW or two or three are kept this method
is quite practicable and convenient. The
best hurdle is simple panel nine feet
long, made Of light narrow boards. lust
as q board fence is made, and with up
night bars Of the same material. The
ENDS Of the boards project beyond the
END bars about six inches, so that when
two replaced overlapping. fence wire
ring can be slipped over these ends and
secure them. Stakes are driven down,
three to each panel, and the panels are
held BY them quite firmly by driving
two on one side and one on the other al
ternately.
A very good hurdle has been made of
round poles sixteen feet long with stakes
Or spokes fixed in them in holes bored
through, thus forming rows Of stakes
on both sides about twelve inches apart
the whole length. A second set is put
In crosswise with the first row. This
hurdle il turned over and over as il is
required TO advance il. But for moving
: Assistance i is not so handy as the plain
board hurdle.
II is impossible to keep cows or sheep
with economy and profit unless some pro-
vision Is made for Summer feeding, and
for this purpose the annual plants, which
grow quickly. are better than grass.
They yield large product to the acre,
and may b. changed from one year 70
smother. And these annual forage crops
must be a considerable dependence also
for the Winter feeding as cured fodder.
-Nsn York Times.